Sand-cutting machine



Jan. 30, 1923.

H. L. WADSWORTH. SAND CUTTING MACHINE.

FILED NOV. 12, 1919.

Patented Jan. 30, 1923..

uNiTED -STATES HOWARD L.l WADSWOR'IH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO. w

SAND-CUTTING IMIAGHIll'Il.

Application led November 12, 1919. Serial No. 337,477.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, HOWARD L. WADS- wonTH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sand-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to'distinguish it from other inventions.

The present invention, relating, as indicated` to sand cutting and screening machines, is particularly directed to a machine for use in large foundries where the mold? ing sand must be cut and mixed after use, and also screened in order to remove the bits of iron,` sprues, gaggers, etc.` which always find their way into the molding sand and which injure patterns if allowed to remain in it. To the accon.,lishn1ent of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then. consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain 'mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the screen being broken away to eX- pose the parts below.

My machine comprises a vehicle in the.

form of a rectangular framework, consisting of longitudinal members 1 and connecting cross members 2 supported upon large driving traction wheels 3 and small caster wheels 4. Mounted at one end of. this framework is an inclined plate 5 above which is mounted an elevating mechanism in the form of a chain 6 provided with a series of spaced blades or plates 7 the chain operating over an idle pulley 9 and a driving pulley 10. This elevating mechanism. is so mounted with respect to the plate, and the plate is so mounted with respect to the floor, that as the machine is moved forward over the floor of the foundry and against a pile of molding sand, the blades 7 will successively cut ofi vertical slices from the pile of sand and sweep them up the inclined plate 5.

Mounted behind the elevating mechanism, and extending the entire width ofthe same, across the frame of the machine, is a screen 11 which is preferably mounted in a horizontal position, and is so disposed with respect to the elevating mechanism as to receive the sandwhich is discharged from the top of the plate 5. This sand falls upon the screen, the bulk of the sand falling at the forward vend of the screen and immediately dropping through the meshes, although the sand is somewhat spread over the screen by the movement of the machine forward and by reason of the vibration which is always present in a machine of this type. Small iron articles are carried rearwardly along the screen by thisvvibration, and eventually find thelr way into a box 12 mounted at the rear end of the machine, from which they may be collected periodically.

Disposed beneath the screen are two sand cutting cylinders 15 and 16, each of which is provided with a series of blades 17 which are so arranged as to overlap one another, but are staggered in position \so that the blades alternate and never contact each other. These blades are driven at high speed and operate to throw the sand which falls through the screen horizontally to the rear of the machine, and to some extent also -pile this sand as well as again cutting it after it has been through the screen, with the result that the finished sand is thoroughly cut fand separated while all metal articles are removed, leaving the sand in condition for further use.

The machine is operated by two motors 20 and 21. Of these the motor 20 drives a shaft 22 carrying the pulley 10 and the sprocket 23, while a chain 24 connects this sprocket with a second sprocket 25 on the shaft of the motor 20. The motor shaft also carries a second sprocket 26 driving through a chain 27 to a horizontal shaft 28 which extends across the upper part of the machine and drives two vertical shafts'29 and 29 through bevel gears 30, 31, 32 and 33. In this way the two sand cutting cylinders are driven in opposite directions, in themanner shown by the arrows in Fig. 2, at a predetermined rate of speed with respect to the elevating mechanism which vis driven from the same motor.

The machine is propelled over the ground by t-he second motor 21 which drives the traction wheels through a chain 35 and sprockets 36 and 37. This double motor drive for 4the machine allows for various speeds for propulsion while maintaining a constant speed ofoperation of a sand elevating and cutting apparatus, which adapts the machine to either heavy or ligh-t work, and to varying conditions of sand which are met with in different types of foundries.

Both of the motors 20 and 21 are variable speed motors, while the motor 21 can be reversed for convenient maneuvering of the machine. When the machine is to be backed the vehicle wheels 4, carried in members 5 which include bearings forthese wheels, roll or slide in longitudinal guideways 40 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 to the position shown in dotted lines, while both of the caster wheels are of course pivoted about vertical axes 42 in order to allow of turning the machine in an extremely short radius.

Side plates 43, 43, are secured to the frame work, and are so shaped as to cover in the working parts of the machine, that the sand as it is being carried through the machine will be directed therethrough by the plates and vbe prevented from passing out at the sides of the machine.

The present machine may be used to pile the sand into a single large heap against a wall. as is often desired in certain foundries. This action is obtained by the sandcutting and delivering cylinders, which have already been described, and which are driven at a suiiicient speed to throw the sand several yards away. In order to facilitate the piling of the sand and to increase the height to which it may be piled the cylinders may be inclined at whatever angle to the vertical seems desirable in o-rder to produce piles of the desired height.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a frame including side plates and supporting wheels therefor, a screen mounted centrally in said frame, elevating mechanism mounted at the front of said frame to raise sand from the surface passed over by the machine and discharge the same onto said screen and means mounted at the rear of said frame and below said screen to receive sand from said screen, said means being adapted to discharge the .same from said machine and simultaneously to cut the sand.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a frame including side plates and supporting wheels therefor, a screen mounted centrally in said frame, elevating mechanism mounted at the front of said frame to raise sand from surface passed over bycthe machine and fdischarge th'e same onto said screen between I said side plates, and sand cutting and discharging means mountedat the rear of said frame, and below said screen to work the sand falling through said screen upon and discharge it at the rear of said machine forward movement of said machine.

3. In a machine of the characterAdescribed, the combination of a. frame including side plates and supporting wheels therefor, a screen mounted centrally in said frame, elevating mechanism mounted at the front of the frame to raise sand from the surface passed over by the machine and discharge the same onto said screen, and a pair of cooperative sand cutting and discharging cylinders, mounted at the rear of the machine below said screen about vertical axes in position to work the sand falling through said screen and between said side plates upon forward movement of the machine and discharge it at the rear of said machine.

4. In av machine of the character described, the combination of a frame including side plates and supporting wheels therefor. a screen mounted centrally in said frame, elevating mechanism mounted at the front of the machine to raise sand from the surface passed over by the machine and discharge the same onto said screen, a sand cutting and discharging cylinder mounted yat the rear of the machine below said screen to work the sand falling through said screen and between said side plates upon forward movement of said machine and discharge it at the rear of the machine, and means adapted to simultaneously operate said elevating mechanism and said cutting cylinder.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combina-tion of a frame including side plates and supporting wheels therefor, a screen mounted centrally-in said frame. elevating mechanism mounted at the front of the fra-me to raise sand from the surface passed over by the machine and discharge the same onto said screen, a sand cutting and discharging cylinder mounted at the rear of the frame below said screen to work the sand falling through said screen and between said side plates upon forward movement of said machine @and discharge it at the rear of the machine, means adapted to simultaneously operate said elevating mechanism and said cutting cylinder, and independent means adapted to actuate said supporting wheels to propel 12( said machine over the ground.

Signed by me, this 5th day of November, 1919.

- HOWARD L. WADSWORTH. 

